RyanH
New member
Hello all,
I come to you to ask a favor. I am writing a short story in which the main character is agoraphobic. Rather than only going by what I read on Wikipedia or what the medical definition is, though, I want this to be as realistic as possible, so I wanted to be able to ask real people suffering from this for some real insight. If you wouldn't mind answering a few questions, it would be much appreciated.
Also, the terminology I have picked up ("safe place," "safe people") is just from these types of websites, so if I've got something wrong or am not using the accepted term for something, please correct me! Like I said, I would like this to be as realistic as possible.
1. In one account I read of agoraphobia, the person said they were constantly thinking about things and could never quite get away from their thoughts. Is this common? Thoughts constantly whirling through your head, kind of like a mind ADD?
2. My character first developed agoraphobia in college, when he begins to have panic attacks during exams due to his overbearing parents forcing him to be nearly perfect...does this sound plausible?
3. When you are leaving your "safe zone," what kind of thoughts do you think? What keeps you from leaving? What do you physically feel when faces with leaving?
4. Do you prefer solitude, or do you find yourself getting lonely a lot when confined to your home?
5. Roughly how many panic attacks, if any, did you have before you realized you may be agoraphobic? Were you officially diagnosed with agoraphobia, or self-diagnosed?
6. How long have you been confined to your safe zone?
7. Are there any places outside of your safe zone that you feel comfortable going?
8. Do you prefer having a "safe person" with you when you're in your safe zone? Does having that person with you make it easier to leave?
9. Would being the subject of a reality show--ie, having cameras in your house filming you, cameraman and producers walking around, etc.--violate your safe zone? Or would it make it easier because it was inside of your own place?
Thank you in advance for any answers you can give me. Again, please excuse my relative ignorance on the subject. I really appreciate all the help.
-Ryan
I come to you to ask a favor. I am writing a short story in which the main character is agoraphobic. Rather than only going by what I read on Wikipedia or what the medical definition is, though, I want this to be as realistic as possible, so I wanted to be able to ask real people suffering from this for some real insight. If you wouldn't mind answering a few questions, it would be much appreciated.
Also, the terminology I have picked up ("safe place," "safe people") is just from these types of websites, so if I've got something wrong or am not using the accepted term for something, please correct me! Like I said, I would like this to be as realistic as possible.
1. In one account I read of agoraphobia, the person said they were constantly thinking about things and could never quite get away from their thoughts. Is this common? Thoughts constantly whirling through your head, kind of like a mind ADD?
2. My character first developed agoraphobia in college, when he begins to have panic attacks during exams due to his overbearing parents forcing him to be nearly perfect...does this sound plausible?
3. When you are leaving your "safe zone," what kind of thoughts do you think? What keeps you from leaving? What do you physically feel when faces with leaving?
4. Do you prefer solitude, or do you find yourself getting lonely a lot when confined to your home?
5. Roughly how many panic attacks, if any, did you have before you realized you may be agoraphobic? Were you officially diagnosed with agoraphobia, or self-diagnosed?
6. How long have you been confined to your safe zone?
7. Are there any places outside of your safe zone that you feel comfortable going?
8. Do you prefer having a "safe person" with you when you're in your safe zone? Does having that person with you make it easier to leave?
9. Would being the subject of a reality show--ie, having cameras in your house filming you, cameraman and producers walking around, etc.--violate your safe zone? Or would it make it easier because it was inside of your own place?
Thank you in advance for any answers you can give me. Again, please excuse my relative ignorance on the subject. I really appreciate all the help.
-Ryan